Southern Weddings

Eleven years after they first dated in college, Lacey and Caleb ended up in the same town yet again, but this time, they knew they were meant to be. Two and a half years later, they were newly married at Brownfield Fulford Farm dancing to the very same song they had heard performed at a coffee shop when they were just friends falling in love. Fun fact: BDK and I had our own first dance to the song he played on our first date!

Along with their sweet love story, I am smitten with the beautiful, neutral details filling Lacey and Caleb’s lovely day! Thanks so much to Jen Dillender for capturing it all and sharing it with us!

I went to two different dress shops with something really simple in mind. My mom and my best friend came with me. With no luck at the first place, we headed to the next place, and when we walked in, I saw my dress hanging on a rack. It looked perfect for me! I tried on a few similar dresses, just to make sure it was the one, and it was! I think I looked at it every single day until the wedding because I loved it so much!

Did you decide to do a “first look”? Why or why not? We decided to do a first look for several reasons. Caleb and I love pictures and we knew that if we didn’t do a first look, we wouldn’t get much time after the ceremony to do our portraits. We also wanted to do the majority of our pictures before the wedding so that we could have more time after the ceremony to be with our friends and family. It was a really special moment and I am so glad we did it!

There are so many details that we loved at our wedding, but the flowers just blew me away. Our altar had two beautiful wine barrels topped with the most extravagant flowers I had ever seen! I could have never imagined such beautiful arrangements and colors!

Did you write your own vows? If so, what was your favorite phrase, verse or line? We did not write our own vows. A close friend ours, Chuck, married us. He and his wife also did a little pre-marital counseling with us. He presented the gospel and the most beautiful message about marriage. It was perfect.

What Southern details or traditions did you include in your celebration? What was Southern about your wedding? The venue was a huge barn surrounded by trees. We had mason jars for kids to drink from, mashed potatoes, and sweet tea at the reception. Our dance playlist included lots of two-stepping music and other classics. We were surrounded by rustic wine barrels and chalkboard signs.

For our first dance, our friend sang “If I Fell” by Brandon Reid. We heard Brandon Reid sing it at a coffee shop when we were just friends falling in love, so it was really special to dance to it! We told our parents to choose what songs we danced to with them. I danced with my dad to “I Saw God Today” by George Strait and Caleb danced with his mom to “How Sweet It Is.”

How did y’all meet? Tell us your love story. Caleb and I met when I was a junior in high school and he was a freshman in college. We saw each other at a concert, and even though we didn’t speak, we both felt like we had to meet each other. Some time went by, and while I was at a mutual friend’s house one day, Caleb showed up with some of his friends! We never spoke a word to each other while we were all hanging out, but when he saw me leaving, Caleb walked me to my car and asked me for my number. We loved each other instantly and dated for a year and a half, but I broke his heart to go travel and do mission work for a year. We moved on, had other relationships, went through some life-changing experiences…and 11 years later, after moving around several times, we ended up in the same town again. Caleb emailed me (we didn’t have each other’s numbers anymore) and asked me if we could get together and catch up. We met for coffee and talked for hours. I denied my feelings for him for a whole year while he waited patiently, asking me to be his girlfriend over and over. I finally gave in and fell head over heels. We “officially” dated for a year before he asked me to marry him!
Tell us all about the proposal! Besides our wedding day, this is my favorite day/experience/moment of my life! It was my birthday and Caleb had a special day planned for us. First, he picked me up and we went for ice cream. He then drove us to the park and unpacked a picnic that included crackers, my favorite wine, speakers, a guitar, and some presents. We sat on a quilt surrounded by the trees, with a little creek next to us. Totally my love language! He played his guitar and sang the sweetest song that he wrote for me. By now, I was sweating a little…I just had a feeling! He played one of our favorite songs that we had danced to when we first dated twelve years ago, and then he asked me to dance. “If I Fell” by Brandon Reid came on, and he stopped dancing and grabbed something out of his bag–a ring!!! He got on his knee and asked me to spend forever with him. Little did I know, he had one of my best friends hidden in the trees, taking pictures and recording the whole thing! He also had all of our friends and family waiting at my favorite restaurant to surprise me and celebrate with us. Truly one of the best days of my life.
When did y’all get married? August 8, 2014
How many friends, family members, and loved ones attended your wedding? 200
Describe your wedding cake or dessert. My cake was an ivory four-tiered cake adorned with fresh flowers and a wooden G, set atop a vintage cake stand. My groom had a rustic pie table full of cherry and apple pies, served with vintage silver pie servers.
Did you have something borrowed, blue, old, and new? If so, do tell! Yes! I borrowed my earrings from my maid of honor, Susan. My mom surprised me with something blue: a vintage handkerchief embroidered with my initials. For my something old, I wrapped a strand of my mom’s wedding veil around my bouquet. My dad surprised me with something new: a beautiful pearl bracelet.
What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome while planning your wedding? One of the biggest challenges was planning such a big, detailed wedding in less that six months at a venue that didn’t provide any amenities. It was overwhelming at times, not to mention more expensive, to plan an event from scratch. Totally worth it though!
What was your most memorable moment about your wedding day? There are so many, but one of the most memorable moments was when my dad gave a toast at our reception. We stood there for the first time as husband and wife, surrounded by everyone we loved, listening to my dad say the sweetest words. It was a moment that I will cherish forever!
What advice do you have for folks currently planning a wedding? Remember the reason for the season you are in: you are marrying the man of your dreams. Planning a wedding is stressful, for sure, but stick to your vision, and don’t wait until the last minute to do anything!
What’s next for you as a couple? What are you most looking forward to about married life? We are loving married life! Life is very simple right now. We both love where we are with our jobs and just getting to do life together. We look forward to many traveling adventures and hopefully starting a family in the near future!

Photographer: Jen Dillender / Videographer: Brian and Mariah Williams / Planner: Sherry Alexander / Venue: Brownfield Fulford Barn / Florist: Lou Dee’s / Wedding Cake: Market Street / Pies: Slaton Bakery / Caterer: Jeana’s Feedbag / Rentals: Festive Occasions / DJ: West Texas DJ / Programs: Invitations to Celebrations / Invitations: Elli / Bride’s Gown: “L164013” by Jasmine / Bride’s Bracelet: Tiffany & Co. / Bride’s Necklace: Dogeared / Hair Stylist: Cassie Temple of Terra Bella Lubbock / Bride’s Shoes: Chinese Laundry / Men’s Vests and Pants: JCPenney / Men’s Shirts: H&M / Patches: Sew Happy Girls / Lavender: The Lavender Gal / Flower Girl Dresses: Princess Feathers Boutique / Ring Bearer Suspenders and Bow Tie: The Boytique Express

Jen Dillender is a delightful member of our Blue Ribbon Vendor Directory!

Written with love by Marissa